Support for tampons



March 17, 1959 P. KRAMER SUPPORT FOR TAMPONS Filed June 4. 1953 m m w m ATTORNEY United States Patent NIH SUPPORT FOR TAMPONS Paul Kramer, Lansanne, Switzerland Application June 4, 1953, Serial No. 359,583

Claims priority, application Switzerland March 28, 1953 4 Claims. (Cl. 128--270) My prior U. S. Pat. No. 2,512,833, dated June 27, 1950, related to a method of making a tampon for use as a carrier for medicaments, especially for the local treatment of hemorrhoids. This method is characterized by the fact that a tampon of absorbent cotton of generally elongated shape is impregnated with a medicinal solution and then allowed to dry.

The present invention represents an improvement in the tampons described in the aforementioned patent. The important feature of the improved tampons resides in the fact that a support adapted to be inserted therein, consists in a stem or shank whose free exposed end forms a knob or handle so as to facilitate the handling'and applying the tampon in use.

The accompanying drawing shows, diagrammatically and by way of example, a preferred form of the tampon and its support.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the tampon and its support.

Figure 2 is a detail view of the body of the tampon without the support.

Figure 3 is a detail view of the support.

The tampon as shown in Fig. 1 consists of an applicator element or body 1, impregnated with a medicament. This body is of bulbous shape at its leading end and its medial portion is of reduced diameter while the trailing end is flared outwardly but to a lesser diameter than the diameter of the bulbous leading end. Thus, the body has a profile which assists in its retention by the sphincter of the anus to enable the medicament to be applied to the afiected parts over a prescribed period of time. As also shown, the body 1 is carried by a support-including a stem 2 whose rounded inner end 2a penetrates the socket or bore 2b, whereas the other end is provided with a handle or knob 3 which is an integral part of the stem and serves as a stop for limiting the insertion of the tampon.

This support is preferably molded plastic material, such as for example, polymerized synthetic resin. The shank of the support may have ditferent cross-sectional shapes, such as round, ellipsoidal, or the like, and to further increase the adherence between the tampon body and its support, stem 2 may be provided with depressions, such for example as at least one axial groove 4, and an annular notch or channel 5.

The tampon in accordance with the invention may be used as a vehicle for any medicament intended for the treatment of rectal ailments or, should the occasion arise, for other treatments in which tampons of this kind could be used as the medium of applying the medicament.

Depending on whether the tampons are to be sold impregnated or non-impregnated, their distribution may be effected in different ways; for instance, if impregnated, in boxes with compartments; or if non-impregnated, by placing the tampons in contiguous rows on paper strips or cellulose sheets.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the support S supplies suflicient stiffness and stability to not only facilitate handling of the tampon itself prior to use, but also greatly increases the utility of the tampon at the time of application. As shown the tampon 1 is provided with an axial socket 2b for receiving the shank 2 of the ,sup port S and it will also be understood that the shape of the handle 3 is not confined to the bulbous form shown. It is suflicient that the handle is larger than the shank to afiord adequate grip by the fingers and also prevent the tampon from slipping beyond the sphincter.

Moreover, the adherence increasing grooves or channels may be disposed in different relationships from the preferred form, within the scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. A tampon comprising a unitary assembly for insertion into and withdrawal from a cavity of the human body, said assembly including, a one-piece elongated medicated absorbent applicator element having an axial socket closed at its leading end and open at the opposite end, a support including a stem internally fitted into the socket from its open end and having a rounded tip shielded by and abutting the portion of the absorbent applicator element at the closed end of the socket, a finger gripping handle at the end of the support opposite the tip, said handle being of greater diameter than the stem and serving as a stop to limit the entrance of the assembly into the cavity being treated, and means providing adherence of the applicator element to the stem of the support, said means including at least one groove extending longitudinally of the stem.

2. A tampon comprising a unitary assembly for insertion into and withdrawal from a cavity of the human body, said assembly including, a one-piece elongated medicated absorbent applicator element having an axial socket closed at its leading end and open at the opposite end, a support including a stem internally fitted into the socket from its open end and having a rounded tip shielded by and abutting the portion of the absorbent applicator element at the closed end of the socket, a finger gripping handle at the end of the support opposite the tip, said handle being of greater diameter than the stem and serving as a stop to limit the entrance of the assembly into the cavity being treated, and means providing adherence of the applicator element to the stem of the support, said means including an adhesive and both annular and longtiudinal depressions in the stem.

3. A tampon comprising a unitary assembly for insertion into and withdrawal from a cavity of the human body to treat affected tissues over a prescribed interval of time, said assembly including, a one-piece elongated medicated absorbent applicator element having an axial socket closed at its leading end and open at the opposite end, a support including a stem internally fitted into the socket from its open end and having a rounded tip shielded by and abutting the portion of the absorbent element at the closed end of the socket, and a finger grippnig button at the end of the support opposite the rounded tip, said button being of a greater diameter than the diameter of the absorbent applicator element which envelops the stem and serving as a stop to limit the entrance of the assembly into the cavity being treated, and means providing adherence of the applicator element to the stem of the support including at least a groove extending longitudinally of the stem.

4. A tampon comprising a unitary assembly for insertion into and withdrawal from a cavity of the human body to treat affected tissues over a prescribed interval of time, said assembly including, a one-piece elongated medicated absorbent applicator element having an axial socket closed at its leading end and open at the opposite end, a support including a stem internally fitted into the socket from its open end and having a rounded tip shielded by and abutting the portion of the absorbent element at the closed end of the socket, a finger gripping button at the end of the support opposite the rounded tip, said button being of a greater diameter than the diameter of the absorbent applicator element which envelops the stem and serving as a stop to limit the entrance of the assembly into'the cavity being treated, and means for providing adherence of the applicator element to the stem of the support, including an adhesive and both annular and longitudinal depressions in the stem.

References Cited in the file of thispatent UNITED STATES PATENTS Abundi et al. Jan. 26, 1892 Sappington Mar. 6, 1917 Sayre May 9, 1934 Ager June 6, 1950 Milcent Aug. 19, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS Germany Dec. 17, 1928 Germany July 15, 1933 

